information for consumer advisers
This section gives you quick and easy access to the more commonly-asked questions on a wide range of issues relating to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
what does a client of ours need to do to take a complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service?
It's important that the business you think is responsible for the problem should have the chance to look into any complaint first – before the ombudsman steps in and decides who is right or wrong. Many complaints are caused by misunderstandings that the business should be able to quickly put right itself, once the problem has been raised.
Look at our how to complain pages for details of what to do next – including the form your client will need to fill in if they want us to look at their complaint. Our leaflet, your complaint and the ombudsman, gives more details.
Alternatively, your client can phone us to tell us about their complaint on 0845 080 1800 (office hours).
will our client need specialist help to complain to you?
No. The ombudsman service is a free and informal alternative to going to court and consumers should not normally need legal or specialist help to bring a complaint to us. We decide if a complaint is valid by looking at the facts of the case – not at how well the case is presented. And we prefer to hear from consumers in their own words.
But everyone has the right to appoint someone else to act on their behalf. Some consumers might prefer to ask their local citizens advice bureau, or a friend or relative, to help them with their complaint.
my client has specific communication needs – can you help?
We aim to be accessible to everyone, whatever their specific needs may be. We can provide information about our service in different formats and languages and can adapt the way we communicate with your client – depending on their needs. For example, we can provide information in Braille, large print or on audiotape or CD and we can make and receive calls using an interpreter.
There's more about this on our accessibility page.
I’m not sure my client’s complaint is something you would look at – how can I check?
We can look into complaints about a very wide range of financial matters. However, the rules and restrictions we have to follow mean there are some types of dispute we can’t help with.
If you’re not sure if the complaint is one we can help with, just talk to us. Our technical advice desk is available free-of-charge to front-line consumer advisers and can provide information on a wide range of issues.
I’d like to talk through my client’s complaint informally with someone – is that possible?
Yes. Drawing on our experience of resolving tens of thousands of financial services complaints, our technical advice desk can give an informal steer on how the ombudsman might view certain issues.
By contacting our technical advice desk to talk through what looks like becoming a tricky situation, you may be able to sort out your client’s problem informally at an early stage – saving time, money and effort all round.
Please bear in mind that informal advice from the technical advice desk is based only on one side of the story – so it is not binding if the complaint is later referred formally to the ombudsman service. You should not refer specifically to any informal steer you have received from the technical advice desk when you talk to clients about a complaint.
are there any other ways I can find out about the ombudsman's approach to cases?
Our regular newsletter, ombudsman news, provides information about our approach to different types of disputes and includes case studies and feedback on recent complaints.
To join our free mailing list, please email our publications team or phone 020 7964 0092.
We also publish a series of consumer factsheets on a range of subject areas and specialist topics – from how we set about resolving complaints, to the technicalities involved in certain kinds of disputes.
does the ombudsman service provide any training or hold conferences or roadshows?
Yes. Each year we run special events nationwide aimed at giving front-line consumer advisers — for example, trading standards officers, money advisers and citizens advice workers — the opportunity to learn more about the ombudsman service and how we work. We also take part in a wide range of conferences, exhibitions and roadshows across the country.
But the large number of consumer-advice agencies across the UK obviously means we can't visit each branch or group individually.
Instead, we look at ways to prioritise and co-ordinate our resources on a regional basis – working in partnership with as wide a range of consumer advisers as possible. For example, if you are organising an event bringing together consumer advisers in your region – and invite us to attend a meeting – we’ll do our best to help you.
For more details please look at our webpage external liaison - what we can do for you.
If you would like to invite a speaker from the Financial Ombudsman Service to an event you are organising, please email full details of the event to:
liaison.team@financial-ombudsman.org.uk
how can I get a supply of your complaint and the ombudsman leaflets for my organisation?
These leaflets are free to public libraries and consumer advice agencies such as trading standards departments and citizens advice bureaux.
To order a supply of the leaflet please email our publications team or phone 020 7964 0092.
what other publications will be of interest to consumer advisers?
Our handbook for consumer advisers [PDF opens in new window] is a guide we have specially produced for front-line consumer advisers to our procedures and general approach. For printed copies of this handbook please email our publications team or phone 020 7964 0092.
We are also very keen to see information about the ombudsman service included on the internal information systems of consumer-advice organisations - such as the Trading Standards directory e-book [PDF version of our e-book entry].
If you would like details of the ombudsman service on your own internal information system, please contact our technical advice desk.